


Heroes of Cobra

by Nariva



Category: G.I. Joe (Cartoon), G.I. Joe: Renegades
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Bad Writing, Cliche, Cobra Loyal Joes, Deception, Emotional Manipulation, Evil Wins, Gaijin Jinx, Gen, Incorrect Usage Of Military Ranks, Multiple Crossovers, Multiple Plot Crossovers, Poor Story Pacing, Snake Eyes Is An Arashikage, That's Not How The Military Works, The Joes Work With Cobra, Trust Issues, Villains to Heroes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-03-28 20:23:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 14,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13911498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nariva/pseuds/Nariva
Summary: Nearly accused of a crime they didn't commit, a team of soldiers fight to save the day from the insidious enemy that is the Renegades, a terrorist organization determined to bring about the downfall of Cobra Industries.





	1. Roll Of The Dice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was intrigued.

     The Commander smirked down at the screens before him, watching as O’Hara spoke with the secretary. Really, did the woman not think they’d have set facial recognition to red flag her the moment she entered a Cobra facility? He shook his head- some people simply never learned. But the others… He frowned at the four new faces. The profiles his people had scrambled together identified them all as Army personnel- had the charming O’Hara gone recruiting while he wasn’t looking? And yet not a single one had any history of anti-Cobra sentiment. What was O’Hara doing with them?

     “-we’re friendlies!” The tinny voice of Sergeant Hauser drew his gaze to the security footage, and his baffled sincerity further deepened O’Hara’s little mystery.

     “We’re investigating a terrorist threat,” the red haired woman claimed, showing his men her badge, and the Commander chuckled. No, it couldn’t possibly be. But... if it _was_ … He'd been having a good day, and he could afford to make a gamble. He reached out, tapping directly into his Chief Security Officer’s earpiece as the man warningly raised his hand and started towards her.

     “William,” he spoke, and the man froze at the sound of his voice, hand flying to his ear as he responded.

     “Yes, Sir?”

     “Separate the others from Miss O’Hara, and _kindly_ bring them to the secondary conference room.”

     “Yes, Sir.” The man acknowledged, turning from the woman to focus on the four to her right. “Please, gentlemen, if you would come with me, Mr. D’Cobra wishes to speak with you.” The blond soldier frowned at him, looking to O’Hara for orders as she glanced between the guards and her men. The Commander sat forward in his seat, resting his chin on his fist as he waited for her response. If she stayed true to her ways… He watched as the woman closed her eyes, her clenched fists slowly uncurling as she bowed her head.

     “Go with him, Sergeant Hauser,” she ordered, not looking him in the eye. The masked man sat back, grinning at the woman as she watched the four slowly move to obey her word. He knew the darling O’Hara so well, how she loved to throw away anyone who wasn’t her beloved ninja. That kind of pragmatism would have been handy to his organization, it was truly a shame he couldn't convince her to their side. The others, however... He tapped into the Cobra Pharmaceuticals communications system, toggling through his options until he came to their local security channel. With a single button press, he spoke directly through the ear pieces of every guard stationed there.

     "Return to your posts, gentlemen. And please, if you happen to see Lieutenant O'Hara, allow her to do as she sees fit." His men hurried to obey his orders, and the Commander turned back to the various security cameras he had at his disposal. Silver flashed across the screen to his right, and as the feed went dead, he allowed himself a smile. O'Hara's ninja was in, the Lieutenant had started to make her way further into the facility, and the soldiers were nearing the conference room. It was time to see how what his gamble would gain him.


	2. Capable Of

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being in the presence of a rightfully suspicious billionaire was uncomfortable, Conrad Hauser found.

     "Good evening, gentlemen," a soft, yet slightly scratchy voice greeted them, and Conrad found himself looking into the face of Cobra's founder. On a life size screen. That didn't have a hint of lag. Oh, the middle class, small town teenager inside him whispered, this was not good. "Please," the man gestured to the seats before them, "take a seat."

     "Mr. D'Cobra," Hauser paused, assuming a stiff parade rest as he cleared his throat, "Sir, you need to evacuate your personnel from this facility."

     "Do I?" He questioned. "Now if you don't mind, gentlemen, I intend to ask the questions. The U.S. Army never shows up unannounced, and yet here you are," the man paused, his eyes going sharp, "unannounced." The blond glanced at his fellow soldiers, getting only disbelieving looks as he turned back towards the screen. D'Cobra... he didn't _know_? He didn't know why they were there?

     "Sir, we were called in to investigate a terrorist threat," he explained. "Sc-" he caught himself, clearing his throat as Private Lee managed a small chuckle, " _Lieutenant O'Hara's_ intel indicated that this facility has been targeted by rogue elements because of its contributions to the military. My men and I were..." he trailed off as the man on the screen shook his head and sighed heavily, running a hand through his dark blond hair. "Sir?"

     "I never thought she would go this far," the man muttered to himself, and Conrad glanced once more to the others as the billionaire straightened in his seat. "I'm sorry to have to say this, gentlemen, but," he heaved another weary sigh, "Lieutenant O'Hara lied to you. There is no terrorist threat." What? But he'd read the report. It had had all the proper authorizations! "You don't believe me," the man noted, "I understand; I expected it." D'Cobra paused, turning in his seat to address someone off screen. "Please access our files on Lieutenant O'Hara, Ms. Riesa. Let's keep it brief, pick three out." Brief? Three? But that implied- The screen the blond was on split in two, and Conrad stared at the videos that appeared next to D'Cobra's face. On one, he watched as Cobra guards escorted O'Hara from the premise of a Cobra weapons manufacturing facility, her face angry and bitter. On another, she leaned over the desk of a red haired secretary, gesturing pointedly at the doors behind her.

     -me in," she was saying, "I am Lieutenant O'Hara from Army Intell-"

     "Miss O'Hara," the secretary cut in, standing as she pressed the button beneath her desk, a move that made Conrad grimace in remembrance. "This is the second time you've-" The video paused, another one taking its place.

     "-know they're hiding something!" She yelled at her escorts, her voice small and distorted.

     "Lady," one of them responded, exasperated, "I know your face almost as well as I know my wife's now. Do yourself a favor- stay off the conspiracy sites and get a _life_."

     "Your employer's secrets can't stay hidden forever," she insisted. "The truth will come out and-"

     "Please, Sir," Conrad spoke, knowing he sounded pained. "Stop the videos. We-" no, he couldn't speak for the rest, "I believe you." It... damn it, it made _sense_ when he looked at all the little red flags they'd encountered on the way. They'd been called in to be glorified muscle in during a suspected _terrorist_ threat, but the Security Chief hadn't been there to meet them? The lack of a strong guard presence. The nervous secretary who hadn't recognized them, her call for security, the guards' reactions to them. _Damn it_. "What was she _thinking_?" He hissed to himself, and nearly startled when D'Cobra spoke.

     "That's what I've been asking myself, Sergeant Hauser," he replied, shaking his head. "My people have nothing to hide here," he continued, spreading his hands wide, "yet she came with four highly trained Army personnel. Lieutenant O'Hara expects to find something, gentlemen, something that confirms her delusions of my company's supposed insidious nature." D'Cobra leaned forward in his seat, his light blue eyes fixing on each of them. "What I'm worried about, gentlemen, is this- what will Lieutenant O'Hara do when she doesn't find her evidence?" Conrad stared at the screen.

     "Sir," the suddenly quiet voice of Private Weems made him look to the young man, who looked at D'Cobra. "What are you implying?"

     "I received a message from my Security Chief that Lieutenant O'Hara left the reception room after your departure- his men are searching the facility for her. Please, Sergeant Hauser," he said, leaning forward in his seat to look Conrad in the eyes. "What do you think she's capable of?" The blond hesitated, tried to make sense of what he'd seen of her on the screen, how she'd seemed in person, and shook his head.

     "Sir, I don't-"

The floor beneath their feet swayed, welled, and alarms burst to life overhead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good old dramatic timing, every writer's best friend!


	3. Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flames. Heat. Screams.

     Conrad flung the door to the meeting room open, the heat nearly forcing him back. What had she done!? Flames seeped up through the cracks in the floor, forcing the others to join him in the hallway as they fled the spreading fire.

     "What the hell did she do!?" Weems echoed his sentiment, his question lost to the screams of terror around him as civilian scientists and businessmen sprinted past them. "What do we do?" He yelled, looking to Conrad for orders. The blond took a precious second the breath, in, out, before he too yelled over the building chaos.

     "Focus on getting the civilians out! Work with the security personnel, they know more about this place than we do!"

     "Understood, sir," Hinton called out, moving past them to join the rush as the others went into action. Conrad could still recall the path they'd taken from the entrance way, and he waved the civilians past him as he checked the room to their left. Empty. The next room, empty. Empty. Em- _not_ empty. A woman was straining against a fallen cabinet, and as Conrad stepped into the room, intent on ordering her out, he saw the slumped man pinned beneath it.

     "Ma'am," he called out, alerting her to his presence, and she looked at him with desperate eyes.

     "Please," she begged him, "help me!" The blond jammed his shoulder against the tilted side of the cabinet, shoving as she pushed, both of them grunting at the weight. Adrenaline was the savior of the day, the cabinet slowly shifting upwards as she dropped to pull the man out from under it. Once they were both clear, Conrad dropped the cabinet, his arms singing with relief as he looked to the woman. She squatted at her fallen coworker's side, her thin fingers trembling as she met his gaze. 

    "The cabinet," she told him, pale and shaking. "His head. I... I don't know if..." Conrad knelt at her side, brushing the man's dark bangs back to take a cautious look. He breathed a sigh of relief at how shallow the wound was, giving the woman as best a smile as he could.

     "He'll be fine, ma'am," the blond said, and she gave a shaky exhale at the verbal confirmation.

     "Clark!" Conrad startled at the voice, jerking about as he met the wide eyes gaze of a security guard. The other man dropped his gun, horror on his face as he entered the room and dropped to his knees beside the unconscious man. "Jessica," the guard whispered, barely audible over the roar of the flames, "is he...?"

     "He'll be all right, Todd," the woman, Jessica, gave a grateful shake of her head. Conrad clapped a hand to his shoulder, ensuring he looked him in the eyes before he spoke.

     "Help her get him out of here," he commanded, but kept his hold as the man rose to follow his order. "Did you see anyone else in there?"

     "No, sir," the guard replied, and Conrad let him go. As the civilians worked at muscling their comrade into the hall, the blond bit his lip as he looked back down the empty hallway. Distant rumbles sounded from below, and he looked down at a splintering sound, gulping as widening cracks formed and shot outwards. _Not good_. The blond turned, saw the guard pause and look back at him, the man's thin face contorting with conflict. "Go!" Conrad yelled at him, turning away as the man gave a nod. He couldn't see anyone else through the fire, not could he hear any more cries for help. Had they gotten everyone out? He hesitated, torn between making it to safety and staying for a moment more, when he heard them.

     "-ser!" It was a faint voice, barely audible over the crumbling building around him, and Conrad strained to catch the sound again. His breathing shallow, the man carefully made his way across the cracked flooring. "Hauser!" There! Conrad narrowed his eyes, finally catching sight of the nearing figure of Weems and several scientists. The Private was limping, helping support the man beside him, as the woman to their right hooked her arm under his, helping Weems pull the man along. "I think they're-" An explosion from below shook the ground they all stood on, and Hauser took a step forward, futilely reached out. Too far away, too far away to do anything but watch. The splintering floor gaped open with a groan; dumped them all into the flames below. Conrad didn't even have time to scream.


	4. Sighting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had been three years since their last sighting of Jinx.

The glow of many screens shown dimly in the daylight, and Storm Shadow shut the door against it as he stepped into the room.

     “What is so urgent that you summon me in the middle of a lesson?” He asked, examining the screens before him with little interest.

     "These were posted an hour ago," their watcher replied, the small man pulling up a picture with a click of his mouse. Green eyes stared back at Storm Shadow, the rogue woman’s face a now familiar sight to him.

     “And why should I care about an American fugitive?”

     “Because she is Lieutenant Shana O’Hara,” the watcher explained, “Army intelligence; a suspected student of Jinx.” Storm Shadow’s lips pulled down at the woman’s name, and he folded his arms. “Which is why I took an even closer look,” the other man said, zooming in on the blurred figure to her left. He painstakingly re-detailed the image, turning back to the Clan head as he waited. The thin masked figure was dressed in dark black and red, but a touch of slightly brighter color drew Storm Shadow's gaze to the figure's shoulder.

     "Jinx," he murmured softly in dawning recognition, his eyes locked on the symbol of the Arashikage. And if she was still alive and well, then that meant...

     "Several scientists and a soldier died in the explosion," the Watcher said, drawing Storm Shadow's attention back to him. "The Lieutenant has already been listed as wanted, but I suspect that Cobra will move to capture her first." And if they caught the woman, they would surely capture Jinx. That was a bargaining chip he did not wish for Cobra to hold over them. The organization truly was like a venomous snake, as cunning and greedy as their chosen symbol, but if Storm Shadow acted with care...

     "Inform the Clan that I will be leaving for America," he ordered the watcher, and the small man gave a silent nod. "It is time that I spoke with Cobra's Commander."


	5. Kind Insistence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conrad hadn't really expected to wake up.

     The question of his location was the first thing to pop into Conrad's mind. Hospital, his nose answered, and when he opened his eyes to sterile white walls, he had to agree with its assessment. He shifted, tried to rise, and groaned at the pain that forced him back down.

     "Hey!" A voice startled Conrad, and he looked up into the grinning face of Private Lee. "Hinton, he's up!"

     "Hey, man," the Corporal greeted him, and Conrad turned to his left to see the taller man seated at his side. "We thought you were never gonna wake up."

     "How-" A cough stopped him, and he hunched in as the force of it wracked his chest. Lifting a hand to his throat, he gave a thin gasp at the dryness there, coughing harder as he heard rustling to his left.

     "Here," Lee said, and Conrad curled his fingers around the plastic cup that the smaller man shoved into his hand, taking a deep swing of water and nearly sighing at the relief it brought him. "Thank you," he whispered, and the other man gave him a smile.

     "Any time, Hauser." Conrad sat back, rubbing at his throat as he looked between Lee and Hinton, frowning when he finally realized who was missing. Wetting his lips, he gulped, and then asked his question.

     "Weems?" The smaller man faltered; looked away. Ah. He bit his lip at the silent answer, his hands clenching at his sides. _Damn her_. Why had she done it? "Did... did they catch her?" Lee shook his head, and Conrad quietly cursed. A knock at his door made the three look up, and Conrad couldn't help but stare as a dark haired woman in a fine black dress let herself inside. What-?

     "Sergeant Hauser," she began, giving him a smile, "it pleases me to see that you're awake." He glanced at the other two, surprised that they clearly recognized her.

     "Oh, uh, this is the Baroness, Hauser," Lee filled him in, nervously brushing a hand through his hair. "She's one of Cobra's representatives."

     "Indeed," the woman concurred, giving a slight nod. "Mr. D'Cobra wished for me to personally check in on your recovery."

     "Thank you, Ma'am," Conrad murmured, fighting off the urge to fidget under her oddly sharp gaze.

     "He also wished for me to assure you that any medical costs will be covered by Cobra Industries in full," she continued, looking from Conrad to the others, "for _all_ of you." He stared at the woman, his shock mirrored by both Lee and Hinton. The Baroness's lips quirked up at their expressions, and she clasped her hands behind her back. "Without your brave actions yesterday, our facility might have suffered further casualties. The very least we can do is insure that you don't suffer for helping us. Unfortunately," she continued, dismissing the Godsend she'd just dropped into their laps, "Mr. D'Cobra is unable to visit you today, he's been smoothing over the media and strengthening security at the facility. However, he does wish to express his full gratitude in person- he's invited you all to visit his home once you've been cleared to leave." Conrad very nearly choked. _Meet_ D'Cobra? At his _home_?

     "Baroness," he managed, giving a shake of his head. "We- I thank you... for the opportunity... but-" The woman reached out, resting her hand on his shoulder as she smiled down at him.

     "Mr. D'Cobra kindly insists that you meet with him." The blond stared into her unwavering gaze, pausing before he gave a nod. The Baroness released him and stepped back, clapping her hands together as she gave the men a wider smile.

     "I'm glad we're all in agreement, then. Now please, Sergeant Hauser, rest while you can." She instructed him. "D'Cobra has much he wishes to speak about once you've all fully recovered." Apparently finished, the woman turned, shutting the door behind herself as she left. For a moment, none of them spoke. Shaking his head, Conrad looked to Lee and Hinton, baffled at what had just occurred.

     "What did we... just get ourselves... into?" he quietly asked them, and Hinton shook his head, giving a shrug.

     "Beats me," Lee said, reaching out to pluck the remote control from Conrad's side before he sat back. "I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth- at least we got free care and an awesome nickname."

     "Nickname?" the blond repeated, raising an inquiring eyebrow at the man.

      "Oh, yeah, forgot I was talking to coma man. Here," he flipped on the little TV before them. "Watch this."

      "-day's forecast is looking fine and sunny!" The woman smiled out at them, pausing to tuck her hair back. "We're looking at a project high of-"

     "No," Lee muttered, flashing Conrad another quick grin as he hurriedly changed the channel.

     "-if we sprinkle a dash of-"

     "-harmony with the Brothers of-"

     "Auger sales begin at-"

     "-this fine piece of jewelry is from our Spring c-"

     "-robbery and sabotage were the motives behind yesterday's explosion at Cobra pharmaceuticals." Lee paused at that, settling in as Conrad slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. The blond flinched at the sight of the burning building, focusing instead on the reporter as she continued to speak. "Police are seeking this woman," O'Hara's face flashed across the screen, "Lieutenant Shana O'Hara, seen here entering a lower level in the company of a masked individual." She hadn't been alone? Conrad tried to focus back on the picture to the reporter's right, but he only caught a glimpse of the shadowy figure as footage of the pharmaceutical was once more displayed. "Since the explosion resulted in at least four fatalities, O'Hara and her accomplice are wanted for murder." Then it hadn't just been Weems who hadn't made it. He wondered if the people who'd been with him were the other casualties. He didn't want them to be. "However, Mr. D'Cobra, who visited the facility to help oversee care for his workers, says that he believes the losses they suffered yesterday were not as high as they could have been. He attributes this to help by Lieutenant O'Hara's other former companions- Sergeant Conrad Hauser, Corporal Marvin Hinton, Private Nicky Lee, and," the woman paused, her eyes flickering downward, "Private Wallace Weems. The 'Heroes of Cobra', as the four are now being called, have been praised by both Cobra Industries and the military in light of their actions during the explosion, where-" Lee turned the TV off, leaning forward to drop the remote back at Conrad's side.

     "Hear that?" he asked, nodding at the dark screen, "we're heroes."


	6. Enemy Of My Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A deal was struck, an alliance made.

    He had chosen to forgo his more pleasant people facade for this meeting, instead allowing the Clan leader a hint his true face. Storm Shadow didn't falter at the sight, standing before him in silence as he waited for the Commander to make his move.

     "It's an honor to finally meet you, Storm Shadow," he greeted the man, gesturing to the seat before him. The Clan head took it, a surprise. "Though, I am curious as to why you've come to me." He took his own seat, sitting back as he waited for a response. Dark eyes met his own, framed behind black locks and a cloth mask.

     "Shana O'Hara, your American fugitive," the man answered, and the Commander savored the moment. To meet with the leader of the Arashikage, see him in person, hear his voice- it was a thing few outsiders could claim. A thing even fewer had survived witnessing. And here the man sat, before _him_.

     "Lieutenant O'Hara?" Intiguing. "I was unaware that she had foreign enemies." Yet the other shook his head at that.

     "I have no interest in her. I care only for her companion." The little ninja?

     "Oh? Is she a rogue member of your-" The Commander started to ask, only to be cut off, the ninja's hands tightening into fists.

     " _She is not an Arashikage,_ " Storm Shadow snarled, hatred in his eyes. The Commander quirked an eyebrow at the outburst, and the other man took a breath, his hands slowly uncurling. "Forgive me," he apologized, his voice low as he slowly regained his former calm. "Her name is Jinx, and she is the reason that I am here. Four years ago," he said, "she attempted to destroy my Clan by poisoning our Master and kidnapping his heir. We have hunted her ever since; today was our first sighting of her in months."

     "Why come to me, then?" The Arashikage were skilled killers, Storm Shadow still hadn't explained why he'd left the shadows to meet with him.

     "We are not blind to your influence. Japan is ours, but America is yours, and we hunt the same target- I did not wish for there to be conflict between us." The Commander almost accepted that explanation. It made sense from a practical standpoint, but that still didn't explain the presence of the Clan leader.

     "Then why not send a messenger?" He pressed, determined to see how far he could push the subject. "Why are _you_ here, when one of your Clan members could've come instead?"

     "As I said," Storm Shadow stated, "the Arashikage are not blind. You desire to expand your reach beyond America, to other countries." The man paused, his dark eyes fixed on him. "To my homeland. Because of this, I have come to seek an alliance." The Commander blinked, for once taken unawares as he stared at the ninja.

     "An... alliance," he repeated, and the man gave a single nod. "And what would such a thing entail?"

     "It is simple," Storm Shadow replied. "Help my Clan regain our heir _alive_ , and the Arashikage will stand at your side." An alliance. The Commander mulled the prospect over, wondering who amongst his people he could trust with such a task. The Baroness was his most obvious choice, but she had never had a wonderful history of working well with others as equals. She would chaff under Storm Shadow's command, just as he would under hers. Doctor Mindbender, perhaps? No, he decided. The scientist still had yet to perfect his Bio Vipers, and the Commander had no way of knowing for sure how the ninja would react to the creatures. McCullen stubbornly clung to his independence, and he didn't want to risk Storm Shadow seeing the man's company as an alternative to Cobra. There was also the issue of Storm Shadow's qualifier- that the Arashikage heir be returned alive. Could he really trust any of them to keep their focus on that goal, to not lose themselves to the heat of the moment? He was... uncertain. Unbidden, the news reel covering Lieutenant O'Hara's "sabatoge" of his factory flashed before his mind's eye. The Commander leaned forward in his seat, resting his chin on his knuckles as he considered the odd idea. A chance to gain two allies over a shared enemy, to bind both of them that much closer to him? Smiling beneath his mask, he straightened as he addressed Storm Shadow.

     "I know just the men to help you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like how Storm Shadow never uses abbreviations in the show- it makes his dialogue unique to me. It's a weird thing to latch onto, but I like how it's an extra little thing that distinguishes him a bit more from the other characters.


	7. Task Force 401

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being co-opted into a Cobra backed military task force was not what Conrad had ever expected.

     Only two days out from observation, and Conrad was already back in the presence of Cobra Industries. Looked like the Baroness really hadn't been kidding when she'd said Mr. D'Cobra was keen on speaking with them. Standing beside his fellow soldiers, Conrad did his best to appear at complete attention even as his gaze strayed to delicate china and fancy furniture pieces. From his left, Hinton gave a low whistle of appreciation for the wealth around them, a sentiment he silently agreed to. It was hard to relax in the billionaire's mansion, felt like one wrong step and he'd shatter something irreplaceable.

     "Gentlemen," the Baroness called to them, and three followed her lead as she opened an ornate door to their right and gestured inside. "Mr. D'Cobra is ready to speak with you now," the woman said, nodding toward the central screen before she turned from them and left the room. Conrad glanced about the wide room, noting the tables and seats wedged against the walls as he and the others made their way to the screen. He swallowed around the roughness in his throat, focused on the smiling face of D'Cobra as his image popped into life.

     "Gentlemen," the man began, sitting back in his seat. "I'm pleased to see that you accepted my offer."

     "We could have said no?" Lee whispered from Conrad's right, and he stomped down on the urge to shoot a glare at the smaller man. He'd only feel conformable with talk like that once they were out of the mansion, well away from prying eyes and keen ears.

     "I know this little meeting is happening sooner than we expected," D'Cobra continued, "but unfortunately, a pressing situation has come up."

      "Mr. D'Cobra, wha-" His throat, still sore and stubbornly dry, cut him off in a coughing fit as it clenched. Feeling a flush of embarrassment rise, Conrad turned his face away from the screen, coughing into the crook of his arm.

     "Sergeant Hauser?" D'Cobra said his name, a question for his health Conrad knew he couldn't answer at the moment.

     "Smoke inhalation," Lee explained for him, and the billionaire made a sound of understanding.

     "Just a moment, gentlemen," the blond said, turning to someone off screen as he spoke in a low murmur. He turned back to them. "One of my men should be coming with water shortly." Dark blue eyes fixed once more on Conrad, "I'm sorry for being so thoughtless of your health, Sergeant Hauser. Though," he continued, a touch slower, "it is concerning to me that it still bothers you." Conrad shook his head, fighting down a wince as he swallowed.

     "It's," he coughed again, focused on the man as he tried to speak, "it's fine. I'll be-" Another damn cough stopped him, and he gritted his teeth in frustration. A light knock made them all look back, and Conrad watched as a single server entered, holding a platter bearing a pitcher of water and a glass.

     "Please, Sergeant, sit," D'Cobra said, gesturing to one of the side tables, and Conrad took him up on the offer. He gratefully took the glass and pitcher from the server, hoping the look he gave the man conveyed his thanks. Filling the cup to the brim, he sat down as he took a sip, sighing as his throat finally unclenched.

     "You were saying something about a situation, sir?" Hinton asked, and the billionaire focused back on the two of them.

     "It's concerning Lieutenant O'Hara," he told them, and Conrad stiffened in his seat, the others going rigid at her name.

     "Did... did something happen?" Lee reluctantly questioned, and all three of them relaxed as D'Cobra shook his head.

     "No, gentlemen, but my people have discovered.... _worrying_ things about the Lieutenant. We'd originally thought that she'd acted alone in her attack on the pharmaceutical," he continued, "but some within my security branch have found signs that indicate that she had the help of two others. Do any of you know of 'the Coyote'?" Conrad shook his head at the question, the others following suite. "I'd thought not," D'Cobra allowed, flicking a hand to his left. A small screen popped into life beside him, and Conrad frowned as the symbol of Cobra Industries appeared, a black X forming over it. "His real name is Alvin Kibbey- our intel puts him as one of our top anti-Cobra bloggers, a man who's made it his mission to," the blond smirked, amusement in his voice, "expose our "darker side"."

     "A blogger?" Lee repeated, incredulous. "The Lieutenant was working with a _blogger_?"

     "He's also highly skilled in telecommunications and electronics," D'Cobra explained, "my people have had to fend of our fair share of his cyber attacks." He sat forward, resting an elbow on his knee as he gestured again towards the web page to his left. "At first we thought he was just a disgruntled former employee, but views on his little site have substantially increased since Lieutenant O'Hara's attack. We went digging, and found that communications between the two increased in volume both just prior to and after the attack. We believe he helped the Lieutenant falsify the approval for your orders to go with her." Conrad carefully set the water glass down, glaring at the little crossed out Cobra symbol as he focused on keeping his breath regulated. A blogger. A _blogger_  might have helped kill Weems.

     "You said two, sir," Lee reminded the man. "Who's the other one?" D'Cobra made a hand waving motion, the site to his left disappearing to be replaced with a single dark photo of... a woman? Conrad couldn't tell for sure- the person was dressed in oddly dark red and blacks, a strange little scarlet formation of squares on each shoulder.

     "This," D'Cobra obligingly continued, "is Jinx. She's part of the reason I called you here today."

     "Is that..." the Private paused, leaning closer to the screen as he looked at her through narrowed eyes, "is that a _sword_?" The billionaire nodded, and Conrad looked back to the image in growing incredulousness. Just what kind of people had O'Hara sided with?

     "Jinx is a rogue member of the Arashikage clan," the man explained, "a family from Japan."

     "You're joking," Lee muttered, but D'Cobra shook his head.

     "Their leader, Storm Shadow, arrived the other day. Apparently they've been hunting her for several years- the attack helped them locate her again."

     "Why," Conrad paused, swallowed, "why're they hunting her?"

     "She killed the former head of their family," the billionaire replied, "and kidnapped his heir. Storm Shadow came to me for aid, and I was hoping you all would be able to help us." Them? _Why_? 

     "We'll have to-" Hinton reluctantly started, but D'Cobra cut him off.

     "Check in with Base Command?" D'Cobra finished the sentence, giving the man an understanding smile. "I've already taken that liberty." Conrad was damn glad he'd stopped drinking, or he'd have spit it in that moment. A civilian contacting Base Command? The billionaire was _extremely_ sure of himself. "I spoke with General Abernathy," D'Cobra continued, ignoring the reactions that got, "and in light of the likelihood that Lieutenant O'Hara will continue her attacks," he trailed off, dark eyes flickering expectantly to his right. "Well, perhaps it'd be best if the General explained things." Conrad nearly dropped his glass, eyes wide as the screen view split in two, General Abernathy himself appearing to the right.

     "Stay sitting, Sergeant Hauser," the General commanded, and Conrad froze in place as Lee and Hinton hurriedly snapped to attention. "At ease, men," he told them, and the blond slowly eased back into his seat as he stared. _The_ _General_. Conrad was looking right at _the General_. He gulped, rubbing nervously at his throat as the man continued. "Base Command has reviewed Mr. D'Cobra's suggestions, and after careful consideration, we've decided to approve them. Sergeant Hauser, Corporal Hinton, Private Lee- you are now members of Task Force 401. Your orders are as follows: apprehend Lieutenant Shana O'Hara, Jinx, Alvin Kibbey, and any other individuals that knowingly and willingly aided them with their attack on Cobra pharmaceuticals. Your secondary objective is to aid Storm Shadow in freeing the..." he spoke carefully, "Arashikage... heir from captivity. Cobra Industries has kindly offered to help your Task Force in any way possible, and given that they're the primary wronged party here, I want you to work with them as well as you can to bring your targets in," he paused, looking D'Cobra in the eyes as he continued, "but remember that your duty to the military comes before the wants of any civilian corporations." The billionaire gave a small, almost amused smile at his words, nodding to the General as the man continued. "If you have any questions or concerns while executing your orders, you will report them directly to me." _Directly_? Conrad swallowed at that, eyes flickering to Lee and Hinton as they gave their affirmations. He... he might be expected to speak with _the General_. Thank God he was already sitting down. "Task Force 401 will remain active until you have completed all assigned objectives. Understood, men?" Conrad joined the others in reaffirming it, itching to stand even though he'd been ordered to stay put. "Good. General Abernathy, out." His image disappeared, and D'Cobra once more dominated the screen as Conrad tried to come to terms with what had just happened. A task force. A real task force. Under General Abernathy. He... it was all happening too quickly...

     "I trust that's satisfied your previous concerns, Corporal Hinton?" D'Cobra asked, and the tall man could only nod in response. "Good," he said, giving them all a smile. "Then if you would, please, look to your left." Conrad did as he was told, only now noticing the hanging clothing and cased weaponry. When...? He shook his head, rising slowly as Hinton and Lee crossed to them. The Corporal opened the first case, gently pulling out a... a gun? Was that what it was? It was truly massive, yet thin, ending in an oddly rectangular shaped muzzle. The Private focused instead on the clothing, plucking a uniform off the rack and holding it up so he could see. It looked nearly identical to the standard Army clothing they wore, but as Conrad got closer, he was gradually able to pick out the differences. It was made from a dark blue fabric, black belted, with a patch on both of the long sleeved shoulders bearing their unit's symbol. It... spoke _volumes_ about D'Cobra's self-confidence. "Do you like them?" the man asked, the three glanced at each other.

     "They're great, Mr. D'Cobra, sir," Lee said, "but, um, what're they for?"

     "You," the billionaire replied. Seeing their looks, he gave them an indulging smile. "We've reason to believe that Lieutenant O'Hara and Jinx stole Cobra weapons during their attack. If you're going to pursue them, I wanted to even the playing field." Conrad reached out, accepting the gun that Hinton offered him. "What you're holding is standard issue weaponry for my security forces," the man explained. "They're... _different_ from what you're used to. I have an indoor target range for my more adventurous guests, would you like to try them?" Out of their depths, Lee looked to Hinton, who looked to Conrad. He gave them a shrug.

     "Sure, Mr. D'Cobra," Lee answered, and the blond grinned down at them.

     "Excellent."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So apparently a real task force is composed of a number way, /way/ larger than just four people, but I'm not sure what else to call them. Anyone have any suggestions for a more fitting "designation"?  
> Also, Task Force 401 is in no way meant to mimic or draw from any real life task force names. I picked 401 because it's apparently the area code for Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the location of Hasbro Industries headquarters (if you trust Wikipedia).


	8. First Lead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laser guns in hand, Conrad and the others set out to follow their first lead.

     Conrad was coming to understand that Mr. D'Cobra didn't do _small_. The man's target range was massive, with more bells and whistles than Conrad had thought possible. Moving targets, different vantage points from built in slopes and ledges- wait, was that an _obstacle course_ to their left? If this is what D'Cobra did for guests, what on Earth did he do for friends and family?

     "So," Lee said, pulling him from his thoughts. "Who wants to shoot first?"

     "Me," Hinton said, pulling earplugs from his pocket as he moved to the front. Pushing them in, he admired the gun he held before he raised it, aimed, fired at the nearest target- and nearly dropped the gun in shock as they stared at the smoking target.

     "Did that gun just _shoot a laser_?" Lee demanded, rubbing at his eyes as Hinton slowly lowered the weapon.

     "I think it just did," the taller man replied, looking at it in incredulous awe.

     "It's a _laser gun_?" Lee continued, heedless of Hinton's answer as he too stared at the gun. "How did we get laser guns!?"

      "Cobra," Conrad muttered, carefully pulling his own gun from its holster as he examined it. He'd always known that the company prided itself on pioneering cutting edge tech, but this? He shook his head, deciding to ignore that he was holding a gun he'd only seen in futuristic sci fi films. "And O'Hara has them too. We can... gawk later," he told them, stepping up to Hinton's left as he popped his own ear plugs in. "Mr. D'Cobra thinks... we can handle them, let's not... prove him wrong." Raising the gun, he took aim and fired, his shoulders jumping with the recoil. It was certainly stronger than what he was used to, much stronger. Flexing his fingers, Conrad took aim and fired again, Hinton joining him as Lee at last drew his own weapon.

 

     "Gentlemen," D'Cobra's voice filtered through to them some time later, and startled, they looked to the screen above. "I'm sorry to interrupt your practice, but we've had a breakthrough in our search for the Lieutenant and her partner."

     "What did... you find?" Conrad asked, holstering his weapon as he turned to fully look at the man.

      "My men have tracked the renegades down to an SSS Market just off I-25," D'Cobra replied. "I know this is much quicker than we expected, but I've arranged air transportation that will get you there as soon as possible. Storm Shadow headed out as soon as we got the word- you'll have to meet him there."

     "An S Market?" Hinton asked, more enthusiastic than Conrad expected. "I love their mini bagel dogs!"

     "Tell you... what," he said, clapping a hand on the man's shoulder. "We bring... them in, and I'll," he paused, clearing his throat, "buy you as many as... you want." Hinton grinned at that, holstering his gun as he started for the door.

     "What're ya'll waiting for?" the taller man called back to them, "I've got bagels to eat!" Snorting at that, certain he'd regret his promise, Conrad followed.


	9. Alvin Kibbey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conrad brought a gun to a sword fight.

     As the helicopter landed on the pavement, the trees around them swaying, Conrad gritted his teeth as he exited. They'd been diverted half way to the SSS Market, reports of the escape of the Lieutenant and the ninja reaching them as Cobra scrambled to regain a lock on their location. They'd successfully found the two once more, and the blond had felt his blood rise in expectation as he'd read the information he'd been given. The Renegades were arriving in Alvin Kibbey's hometown- they were trying to reach the blogger. Good, this was good. If his team did it right, if they got there in time... All of them, they'd have all three of them. Conrad sucked in a breath, slowly exhaling as he tugged at the sleeves of his new uniform and looked up at the school before him. It was a relatively small community college, and he followed the sound of quiet chatter to a cluster of students, teachers, and police officers. Glancing past teens with stuffed backpacks and their hovering teachers, Conrad instead looked to the surrounding officers. A man with black hair, a short brunette, a blond man speaking to a student. No, no no, n- Ah, there. The officer who'd contacted Cobra, she matched the description they'd been given- glasses, blonde hair, brown eyes.

     "Good evening, Ma'am," he greeted the woman, and she gave him a tight, grimaced smile.

     "Hello..." she trailed off, looking at him in sudden awkwardness as they both realized that he hadn't introduced himself.

     "Sergeant Conrad Hauser," he told her, "sorry."

     "Officer Monroe," she said, gesturing to herself. "We're evacuating the last of the students as quietly as we can, but," she frowned, shaking her head as she glanced at the huddled kids to their left, "teens. It's already blowing up on the internet. Officer Thompson says we're trending on YouTube."

     "There goes surprise," Hinton muttered, and Hauser reluctantly agreed.

     "Do you know what class Kibbey was last seen in?" he asked the woman, and she pushed her bangs back as she turned to eye the school.

     "A kid spotted him going into one of the chemistry classes, classroom..." Monroe reached into her pocket, pulling out a slim notebook before she leafed through it. "Classroom 107 B. It's on the second floor, North side, just past the Zoology department."

     "Thanks," he said, giving her a nod of appreciation as he looked to the others.

     "Sergeant," the woman stopped him, a hand on his wrist as they turned back to her. "Some of the students said they saw the red haired woman, but no ninja. We haven't had any reported sightings of her," she said, giving a helpless shrug. "I have some of my men searching the area, but we haven't seen her yet." Conrad frowned at that, looking toward the school with weariness. Could this be an ambush? That almost changed things, but he huffed, shaking his head as he shoved away his apprehensions. This was the only lead they had so far, he wasn't going to waste it. Waving Hinton and Lee to his side, he started for the school, holding the door open for them as he entered. 

    "Five bucks says the ninja drops on us," Lee muttered, unhappily eyeing the ceiling as they crept down the hallway. Conrad shushed him, drawing his gun but keeping it lowered as they passed empty classroom after empty classroom. The silence was unnerving- schools had always been loud; for this one to be so quiet... The blond grimaced, slowly leading his men up the stairs as he tried to walk as quietly as possible. He paused just short of the top step, glancing cautiously around the corner- to find nothing. He looked to the left, back to the right, and waved Lee and Hinton up as he started North. Brightly colored animals adorned the walls, turtles, flamingos, peacocks. _Definitely_ the Zoology section, Conrad thought. And there, further down the hallway, he saw depictions of the periodic table, a nucleus slowly spinning from a string taped to the ceiling. Chemistry. Conrad looked at the door to their right, reading its label. 112 C. They walked further down the hall. 111 C. 110 C. 109 C. He glanced down the hall to their left, pleased to spot the sign reading 111 B. Looking back to Hinton and Lee, he nodded to the door, assuming the lead as he passed more classrooms. 110. 109. 108.

107 B.

Feeling his adrenaline rise, Conrad slowly reached out, turning the doorknob as quietly as possible. Inch by inch it turned, and he braced to shove the door open- The sound of breaking glass made him startle, and he cursed and shoved his way inside, watching as the back of a male head disappeared below the window. Gritting his teeth, the blond rushed to the broken window, looking down to watch as the Lieutenant pulled her limping accomplice along.

     "O'Hara!" He yelled, and green eyes shot to his. "Stop! Lay down your-!" The woman turned from him, tugging the man along behind her that much harder as Conrad slammed his foot against the bottom of the window. Never giving himself a chance to pause, to reconsider, he leapt. And landed hard, shards of glass cutting into his gloves and kneepads as he reached for his gun. The sharp glint of sun off metal was the only warning he got before a blade slammed into the ground before him. Startled, Conrad reared back, only to catch a boot to the face as the ninja kicked him. His hands instinctively flying up, the man fell to his back as the woman jerked her sword out of the ground.

     "Stay down," she told him, her tone clipped as she raised the sword high. He flinched at the sight, closing his eyes as he brought his arms up to shield himself. A dull clang ran out, and after a moment of silence, Conrad opened his eyes.

     " _Storm Shadow_?" The ninja gasped, her eyes wide as she backed away from Conrad's savior.

     "Jinx," the white clad man greeted her.

     "Why- what are you doing here?" the woman demanded, her shoulders hunching as she further widened the distance between them.

     "I have come to reclaim what is rightfully mine," he told her as Conrad rolled to his stomach and reached for his weapon.

     "I'll _never_ let you have the sword!" Jinx snarled, and Storm Shadow smirked at her conviction.

     "Jinx!" O'Hara's cry made them all jerk in surprise, and Conrad flinched when he saw her palm a grenade, pulling its pin as she chucked it between the two ninjas. He scrambled to his feet, reaching out to yank Storm Shadow along behind him as he stumbled, then sprinted. It exploded behind them, sounding like thunder as smoke rose in the air. Conrad coughed as it swept over them, vainly waving at the air as he strained to see where the three had headed. Nothing. He cursed.


	10. Green Ridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conrad couldn't understand the people of Green Ridge.

     Conrad heaved a sigh, pushing his bangs back as he looked up at D'Cobra. The man had been surprisingly lenient, seemingly more interested in describing what the Renegades had _really_ been after than in focusing on their failure. They had not, as Conrad had assumed, been trying to rescue Kibbey from possible capture. They'd instead been after the scanner the man had stolen, which stored information on a new project Cobra Industries was working on. Instead of anger at that, however, the millionaire seemed oddly... happy?

     "They disabled their vehicle's tracking device," D'Cobra continued, "but the head of my vehicle and tech departments are working together to bring it online again." The man glanced at the watch on his wrist, "it should be back up within the hour." An hour. Conrad _hated_ waiting. Still, he thought as they were dismissed, perhaps he didn't have to spend that hour looking over their last failure, picking it apart to see what he should have done differently. He glanced down at the Cobra gun hanging in its holster, adjusting it as he instead headed for the practice range. He'd been too worried about his inexperience with it to use it earlier, but if he had, would- No. The man shook his head, firmly shutting out the endless what ifs as he stepped into room. This was time to practice, he couldn't afford to waste it with doubt.

 

 

     Just as D'Cobra had predicted, he contacted them within nearly an hour of their return. Feeling slightly more confident in his skill with the gun, Conrad had holstered it and made his way back to the main conference room. He quietly stepped inside, taking his place beside Lee and Hinton as the other blond spoke.

     "My people have succeeded," he informed them, oddly hesitant, "but getting you there will be... difficult."

     "Difficult?" Lee asked, cocking his head.

     "They're hiding in the town of Green Ridge," he said, "do you know about our trouble with them?" Conrad mulled the name over, shaking his head as he drew a blank. Lee also shook his head, and the two of them looked to Hinton. The taller man worried his lip as he thought, then snapped his fingers, nodding.

     "Something about a dam, right?" he asked.

     "Yes," D'Cobra replied. "For reasons I can't fathom, the town turned to the courts to stop our construction of it. Unfortunately, the courts saw fit to rule in their favor, and it's caused considerable tension between the townspeople and my employees stationed there. I hope that your military service will give them pause, but we've been painted as the enemy, and you work for-" he paused, giving them a smile as he shook his head. "Forgive me, _with_ us." He paused again, a frown slowly creeping over his face he looked back to them. "I don't like considering the possibility, but some within the town may even harbor the Lieutenant and Jinx if they think it'll hurt us. But," he continued, raising a hand to stop Conrad before he voiced his confusion at the possibility, "I've arranged for the Baroness herself to accompany you on your trip, she'll be more than enough to discourage any active attempts to stop you." A light knock came from behind them, and D'Cobra called for the woman to enter as she opened the door.

     "Sergeant Hauser," the dark haired woman murmured in greeting, "Corporal Hinton, Private Lee. My helicopter is ready to leave when you are."

     "Then let's go," Conrad agreed, following after her lead as they left the room.

 

 

     "-out of Green Ridge! Get out of Green Ridge!" was the rallying cry that met them, and Conrad shifted in discomfort as he looked out at the angry gathering of townsfolk. He raised his hands in a calming gesture, standing straighter as their eyes turned to him.

     "We're not here to cause trouble," he called out as Lee and Hinton came to stand at his side. "We're just here to look for the Renegades, that's all."

     "Why would we help you?" A man called out in challenge, stepping forward as he shook his head at Conrad. "They're the real heroes for standing up to Cobra," the brunette claimed, and Conrad felt a shock of disbelief at his words. Heroes? The Renegades?

    "You _heroes_ killed..." he paused, coughing into the crook of his arm before he swallowed, "four people and... Private Wallace Weems. If you dare-"

     "What Sergeant Hauser means to say, Mayor," the smooth voice of the Baroness drew their gazes as she stepped forward, raising her voice to be heard by the crowd, "is that anyone found to be harboring those treacherous murders will be prosecuted to the fullest possible extent in court by Cobra Industries. They're violent fugitives, Mayor, and they're in your town- I suggest that you confine your people to their homes for their safety." The man shook his head, eyes blazing as he spat at her feet.

     "Take your lackeys and get out of my town. You've already done enough damage as it is, your dam took our prized fish and our water, why would we agree to anything you want?"

     "Mayor," a voice called out, and Conrad watched as a man stepped out the crowd. His eyes were drawn to the dark burns that wound up the man's arm, and he looked away in discomfort, instead focusing on the man's blue eyes as he made his way to stand before the mayor. "Think about it, mayor," he implored the brunette, "they're army. You may have won against Cobra this time, but the U.S. military?" He shook his head. "We should just let them do their job, we gain nothing by standing in their way."

     "There's no we, Kelly," the mayor objected, and the black haired man winced at his words. "You're just as bad as they are, working for those snakes."

     "Those snakes have provided your town with emergency supplies, mayor," the Baroness broke in, her prim voice going sharp. "Think about what you say next. We provided those things; we can take them away."

     "Go ahead," the older man challenged her. "We don't need your dam and we don't need you."

     "Then we will leave," she assured him, " _after_ Sergeant Hauser and his men have searched the town. Gabriel Kelly," she addressed him, gesturing dismissively at the townspeople. "Green Ridge has spoken- they have no more use for your services. Shut the fire department down and report to Cobra Construction for your next assignment." He gave a reluctant nod, uncertainly eyeing the mayor as he started back the way he'd come. "Now, gentlemen," the Baroness said, turning her sharp gaze to Hauser and the others. "Please commence with your search, I don't believe the townspeople will give you any more trouble." Her barely masked warning issued, the woman turned, boarding the helicopter as she gestured for it to take off. They retreated as it started up and rose into the sky, Conrad rolling his shoulders in discomfort as unfriendly gazes watched them start their mission.

 

 

     An hour in, and he felt the childish urge to stomp his boot in growing frustration. They hadn't seen a single hint of the Renegades yet, and the locals had made it a point of being less than helpful. He brought his men to a stop at the side of darkened tree, letting them take refuge in its meager shade as he wiped the sweat from his brow. They should have brought their own water bottles, he thought in rueful hindsight, for the town had developed a rather _strange_ sudden lack of them wherever they went. Why, he asked himself, why were making this more difficult than it had to be? The Renegades had brought only danger, so why were the townspeople favoring them?

     "Uh, guys," Lee muttered, sounding oddly hesitant, "I think the heat's making me hallucinate." Baffled at his words, Conrad looked at the man, who pointed towards the top of a gently slopping hill. Where a burning house sat, wreathed in brightly burning- _blue_!? _Blue flames_!?

     "What the hell," Hinton hissed under his breath, "wait... who is that?" A distant figure stood in front of the house, their dark clothing standing out against the blue fire raging before them.

     "Hey," Conrad called out, raising a hand in greeting as the three of them made their way up the hill. "What're you-" And the person turned- _Jinx_. Her face hidden by a dark helmet, the woman jerked about to face them, raising her arm to pitch a container at them as Hinton shoved Lee and Conrad to the left. It burst where they'd been, blue flames erupting outward in rush of heat. Conrad scrambled to his feet as the woman turned tail and ran, fumbling his gun as he tried to draw it from his holster. She ducked under a shot from Hinton, who'd been faster on his draw, and disappeared into the growing flames.

     "Wait!" Lee called out, stopping Conrad as the man made to follow her. "Hauser, the fire!" He dragged his eyes away from where the woman had been, focusing on the flaming house as Lee and Hinton slowly drew back.

     "Where the hell's the fire fighter!?" Hinton demanded, watching as the fires spread up the house.

     "Right here!" Kelly yelled over the crackle of flames, coming to a sliding stop beside them as he leapt off his four wheeler and yanked his cannister up. The man sprayed the flames, aiming as high as he could as he turned the power up. Yet even as the water soaked into the charred boards, the blue flames continued to spread, hungrily leaping to dead grass and cracked dirt as the men found themselves further forced back. Kelly's water supply, as strong as it had started, trickled out as the fires gained strength.

     "-you do!?" A fifth voice distantly cried, and Conrad watched as the mayor struggled up the hill, horror on his face as he looked at his house."What did you do!?" he demanded again, his hands clenching into fists as he rounded on the soldiers.

     "It wasn't us!" Conrad protested, the heat of the flames forcing them further down the hill. "It was... your damned heroes!"

     "But-"

     "Listen to me!" Kelly interrupted them, forcing his way between them as he took hold of the mayor's shoulders. "We don't have enough water and the fire's spreading! Get our- _your_ people out of here!" The Mayor shook his head, freeing himself from Kelly's grasp as a desperate denial rooted itself in his wide eyes.

     "We won't le-"

     "Do you want your people to be barbequed?" Hinton asked him, gesturing down to the growing crowd at the foot of the hill, "because that's what's going to happen if they stay here!" The mayor took a step back, his gaze flickering between his house and his people. He shut his eyes.

     "Fine," he conceded, bitter and worried. "Fine, we'll leave." Kelly caught him by the arm as the man made to turn, pointing at the distant form of the bridge.

     "Head for the bridge, it's the only way out of-"

     "I know this town!" The mayor snapped, brushing Kelly off as he stumbled away from them to head down towards his people. Lee looked back at the burning house, at the flames spreading further across the dead grass before them.

     "What do we do?" he asked, and the firefighter shook his head.

     "What water we have won't make a dent in this, it's spreading too quickly. We need to go with them," he stressed.

     "He's right," Conrad reluctantly agreed, the growing heat of the flames making him shudder. They turned from the burning house, making their way down the hill to join the townspeople as they started for the distant bridge. The fire fighter unhooked his walkie talkie as he ran, switching the volume up as he raised it to his mouth.

     "Cobra Construction, this is Gabriel Kelly, please come in!" He waited a moment, then spoke again. "Cobra Construction, this is Gabriel Kelly with the Green Ridge Fire Department, _please_ _come in_!" Another moment of silence, and then his walkie crackled as a response came through.

     "Gabriel Kelly, this is Fire Chief Robinson. Are the townies giving you trouble aga-"

     "No, ma'am," Kelly interrupted, grimacing at it. "One of those Renegade people started a fire at the mayor's house; we can't contain it! The mayor's evacuating the town, but some of the townspeople are going back for their kids and pets! Please, send help!"

    "What." Came the hushed, disbelieving reply, and Conrad could easily imagine the look on her face. "A fire? But, but we took precautions-"

    "And the Renegades trashed them!" Kelly said, waving the soldiers along as the crowd surged to the left, sprinting down what Conrad could only assume was the main street. "It's- I've never seen fire like that before, I don't know how quickly it'll spread!"

     "I- I understand," the Fire Chief reassured him, "I'll dispatch our water bombers as soon as possible. Adams, did you hear tha-" Kelly clipped the walkie back to his belt, shooting them a hopeful look as they ran. "The bridge isn't much farther," he yelled over the chaos of the crowd, "it's up that bend to the right!" Conrad nodded his understanding, focused on regulating his choppy breathing as he looked ahead. The people before them surged forward, faster, as they made the turn, and Conrad caught sight of the bridge ahead as he craned his neck to see around the people in front of them.

     "Come on," he called to Lee and Hinton, the smaller man shaking his head as he struggled for breath.

     "Don't have to... tell me twice... Sergeant!" Lee said, trying to pick up the pace as the road leveled out, exclamations of relief drifting back to them from the townspeople in the front. The crowd slowed when they reached the bridge, panicked energy fading as they reached their salvation. Conrad clenched and unclenched his shaking hands, looking back at the town as his team slowed to a walk. Thick smoke rose from over the ridge, and he caught the faintest flickers of blue as he watched. Damn them, he thought, damn them to- And over the roar of the flames, he heard it. The thrum of aircraft. A ragged cheer went up from the townspeople as water bombers, some of them the grey and red of Cobra, but the others...? Conrad squinted up at the passing craft, unable to catch the writing on the blue and red symbols. He watched as the various aircraft went their ways, dropping water onto the burning town below.

     "Come on, people, keep it moving!" Kelly called out, and they obeyed, their new hope near tangible as more aircraft rushed by overhead. Conrad looked back when he and his men reached the end of the bridge, watching as the fires were gradually contained.

 

 

     "-it was started, eyewitnesses say, by the Renegade named Jinx. Though several people were injured in the ensuing fire, there were no fatalities. Thanks to the efforts of Cobra Construction and the Missouri National Guard, the town was saved from total destruction, but conservative estimations of the total property damage is in the thousands-" Conrad flicked the TV off, frowning at the floor as he ran a hand through his hair. The Renegades had slipped through their hands twice now. Would they get a third chance, or had the three gone to ground in the wake of the fire? They would disappear if they were smart, flee and hide in some little backwater town that had never heard of them. How would he find them then? How much leeway would the military give them in their search? They wouldn't pour unlimited resources into it- there had to be a cut off date somewhere down the line. And all the Renegades would have to do was wait them out; sneak back into society after the search had been called off, free from the threat of being brought to justice. He clenched his teeth at that, his hands curling into fists as he considered it. If they reached the end date, could he bargain with the General for more time?

     "Sergeant Hauser," D'Cobra's strangely happy voice drew him from his thoughts, and Conrad looked up at the man's image. "Please report to the main conference room, I've received an update on our situation." As the man's image faded to black, Conrad frowned at the odd tone. Why had he sounded so upbeat- they'd lost to the Renegades _again_! He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head as he stood. The walk to the room was a short one, Hinton giving him a small wave as the man joined him on their path.

     "What do you think Mr. D'Cobra was talking about?" The taller man asked him, and Conrad shrugged.

     "It has to be about... the Renegades, but he sounded... happy?" Hinton gave him an mirrored shrug, stepping forward to open the door for him as they reached the conference room. Already inside, Lee gave them a nod, the three of them looking up as D'Cobra's screen clicked on. As finely dressed as ever, the blond gave them a welcoming smile.

     "Greetings, gentlemen," he said, they muttered a greeting in return. He paused at their subdued tone, giving them a look of understanding as he started. "I know you're all upset about what happened at Green Ridge, but we need to put that behind us as we focus on the future."

     "How?" Conrad asked, and blue eyes turned to him. "Kibbey's probably figured... out that you can turn the tracking back... on- they'll ditch their vehicle and find something else, and," he paused, cleared his throat, "they'll disappear for good when they do." D'Cobra smiled at him, shaking his head in disagreement.

     "Trust me, Sergeant Hauser," he told him, the man's voice slipping into a gentle hiss of pleasure. "They won't disappear. My vehicle technicians were able to crack into their vehicle's primary computer while we fought off the fires, and we found that they managed to access the scanner's information. Lieutenant O'Hara will never leave now."

     "You said it was a project of some kind... what was it?" Lee asked.

     "The M.A.S.S. Device," he replied, sitting back with a smile.


	11. Termination Of Service

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new path was opened for the Commander, one that he was most eager to explore.

     "The M.A.S.S. Device will be able to teleport matter across large stretches of space-" the Commander paused, looked down at the soldiers, and decided on a more straightforward explanation. "It's a teleporter."

     "You're... joking." Hauser said, his disbelief clear.

     "I don't joke," he assured the man. "When the M.A.S.S. Device is operational, it will revolutionize our very way of life."

     "But..." the Sergeant trailed off, then firmly shook his head. "What does the... teleporter... have to do with O'Hara?"

     "Her father created it," the Commander answered, watching as their eyes went wide. "We were once business partners- Mr. O'Hara was the brains behind the device, while I provided the funding. Unfortunately, like his daughter, the good doctor eventually thought we'd use his device for "insidious" gains. He destroyed it when my men tried to collect on my investment, and died in the resulting explosion." He looked down, shaking his head in false sadness before he looked back up at the soldiers. "Fortunately, however, we managed to salvage most of Doctor O'Hara's notes about the device- his research indicated that there were three elements needed to power it. My people located the first, a special type of water, a little over a year ago. Thanks to the diplomatic efforts of the Baroness, we were allowed access to the second element in South America. The third element, however, continues to elude us. We believe it to be located somewhere in the Arctic, but the notes concerning its exact location were lost in the explosion."

     "The Arctic?" Lee asked, sounding oddly thoughtful. "I know a guy up there." He gave a small shrug at the Commander's questioning look, "it's been a few years, but I could try to find him for ya, see if he's seen anything odd about."

     "I would deeply appreciate that, Private Lee," he said, flashing a smile at the three of them. "But I've held you all here for long enough, I'm sure your base would appreciate having you back. Thank you for the work you've done today, gentlemen, you've been most helpful." The men bid their farewells, filed out of the room as the Commander sat back.

     "Commander?" He turned at the sound of the Baroness's voice, standing from his seat as she fully entered his room. "You wished to know when Mindbender woke..."

     "Good," he murmured, smiling beneath his mask as he let her lead the way.

 

     "Why did you tell them about the M.A.S.S. Device?" McCullen demanded as the Commander entered the room. "Those knuckle draggers will never fully understand it; they'll probably tell the General about-"

     "That's exactly what I want, McCullen." The Commander said, smiling as the man froze at his words.

     "What? You _want_ them too..." The man trailed off, ran a hand through his hair. "Why? Why would you want that?"

     "Strong relationships are built on trust, and I want the Sergeant and his men, the General and his army, to trust us." He gave a nod to Storm Shadow as he passed the man, ignoring the Baroness in favor of smiling down at the restrained scientist. "Mindbender," the Commander greeted him, watching as the man pulled in confusion at his restraints. "The Lieutenant saw his shapeshifting bio vipers at the pharmaceutical," he explained to Storm Shadow, "we had stationed him in Green Ridge to continue his work, but even there they failed to impress me."

     "Hey! My babies are coming along great!" the scientist protested, offended at his words. "I just need a little more time to perfect the process!"

     "No," the Commander said, and Mindbender looked up at him. "You promised me world domination," he started, turning from the man as he clasped his hands behind his back, "but the Sergeant and his men? They're offering me a different path to victory."

     "What're you talking about?" Mindbender asked, his voice low with confusion.

     "I was raised in a secluded country, made to believe that this world was weak," he said, "that its peoples were ripe for the taking. I thought that they would kneel at my feet when I announced my presence- that any resistance I met would be easily crushed." The Commander shook his head, chuckling at his once childish expectations. "I learned _very_ quickly that I had been taught wrong, that your people were far stronger than we'd ever imagined. Still, I thought that new innovations would give me the upper hand, so I invested in Mindbender's experiments; McCullen's armor." He looked at Storm Shadow, meeting the man's dark eyes. "That was a mistake."

     "My Bio Vipers-" Mindbender started, indignant, but the Commander cut him off.

     "Are a failure," he snapped, making a cutting motion with his hand, "and _continue_ to be a failure. Three years of investing millions of dollars, renovating my laboratories to suite your preferences, and what do I get? Creatures that can't even capture _two_ women!" The Commander paused, closing his eyes as he breathed deeply. "Don't smile, McCullen," he warned him, turning his gaze toward the startled man. "Your mechs are as disappointing as Mindbender's Bio Vipers- they're hulking, ungainly things that can't even be piloted correctly yet!" He once more turned his back on the two men, crossing the room to stand before his many monitors. On them, he watched as the soldiers dispersed, led by servants toward the exit. "I'd always believed that war would bring about my rule," he quietly mused, considering the many paths that lay before him. He looked back to Mindbender and McCullen, his bright eyes flickering between the two as he considered his next step, and then made his decision. "And I've wasted precious years supporting that ideal, an error that has cost me a lot of pain. However, those "knuckle draggers" have done more for me in a single day than the both of you have in years. A direct line of contact with the General, a successful joint operation with the Missouri National Guard, and a shared goal between their men and mine."

     "Hold on," McCullen snapped, stepping forward in open confusion and growing anger. "What're you implying?"

     "There's a war coming, McCullen," the Commander said, "and you and Mindbender have taken too long, failed me too many times, to be considered useful." He caught the Baroness go pale at his wording, the woman stumbling back as he crossed the wall to her left. The man reached out, ran a hand down the door there, and then gave a single knock. It slowly slid open, revealing to them a long, dark tunnel within. "Serpentor," he called into the darkness, receiving a low hiss in answer. "Come, my pet." And it did, slithering into the pale light as its tongue flickered out to taste the air. The massive snake lazily turned, winding its way to his side as he looked back at those gathered before him. The Baroness had gone deathly pale, and she stood in rigid terror as he glanced in her direction. McCullen and Mindbender, however... The Commander smiled beneath his mask. It appeared as if the gravity of their situation was finally hitting home for the two. "Serpentor," he murmured fondly as the scientist strained against his bonds, McCullen turning to pull futilely at the door behind him, "eat."


	12. Trail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sheriff. A town. A forest.

     Conrad finished tugging the last of his new uniform on, yawning as he reluctantly left his cot. They'd been scheduled to head out early, and he smothered another yawn as he rubbed at his eyes.

     "Rise and shine, Duke," Lady Jane's cheerful voice called in to him, and Conrad gave the woman a smile as she entered. She eyed his uniform, quirking her own smile at him. "Maybe you could throw in a good word for us with D'Cobra- I haven't seen material that good since our last inspection."

     "Nope," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender as she laughed. "I'm not getting," he paused, swallowed, "between D'Cobra and General Abernathy. I'd rather fight... that ninja again."

     "I heard she kicked you in the face," Lady Jane said, taking the lead as they walked out into the open.

     "She did," Conrad confirmed, "and it _hurt_." He stepped up his pace to keep up with Lady Jane's long strides, the woman leading him past their barracks and towards the northern exit route.

     "Well, at least she didn't hurt your good looks, Duke," she said, nodding towards the other members of his small Task Force, "now go kick terrorist ass for me, all right?"

     "As you wish, Ma'am," he said, giving her a grin as she shooed him away.

     "Morning, Hauser," Hinton greeted him, giving a wave.

     "Hinton," he said, nodding.

     "Hey, don't forget me now," Lee called out from their left, adjusting the hem of his uniform as he hurried to them.

     "Never," Conrad promised, and the Private rolled his eyes as they piled into the car.

 

     "Gentlemen," the Duchess greeted them as they once more stood before the mansion, "Mr. D'Cobra has a promising development for you." She turned, striding into the mansion as they hurried to follow after her. They took the staircase at a brisk pace, and the Duchess led them once more to the meeting room.

     "Good morning, gentlemen," D'Cobra greeted them as they entered. "My people were able to break through Kibbey's defenses and reactivate the tracking device," he continued without preamble, "but Kibbey shut them out again. We've been able to determine that they're still in Missouri so far, but we only have hearsay to go on for their exact location. A sheriff from a little town just west of Salem reported to the Army that the Renegades were there. It's not a solid lead, but it'ss the best we've got for now. I'll arrange for transportation, and contact you if we get new info." Conrad nodded, and D'Cobra vanished from view as he turned to the men beside him.

     "We've got our orders," he said, "let's head out."

 

     Though the ride to the town was a decent one, Conrad was more than glad to leap down from their transportation as he glanced at their ninja. His silent presence had made them all uncomfortable, and Conrad had taken to looking at the floor to avoid the man's hard gaze. It was... unnerving. Shaking his head, Conrad watched as Lee and Hinton hopped out, followed by Storm Shadow, and then turned to address the small group of civilians converging on them.

     "May I speak with Sheriff Brown?" he asked the nearest person, a blond woman who gave a hesitant nod. "He called about-"

     "-the Renegades," a man from the back finished, and the clustered townsfolk parted for him.

     "Sheriff Brown," the blond guessed, eyeing the his old school uniform.

     "Yes, Sir," the older man said, nodding as he neared them. "I put the call in." He rummaged in his back pocket, pulling out a folded paper. Opening it, he held it out for Conrad to see. O'Hara and Kibbey stared out at him, a blurred picture of Jinx to their left. "This is them, right?"

     "It is," Conrad said, accepting the paper as Storm Shadow drifted closer, the other man's eyes for Jinx alone.

     "Then you just missed them," the Sheriff said, "they left about thirty," he paused, thought it over, "maybe forty minutes ago. I don't know why, but I think they were headed for the forest." The ninja stepped forward, his eyes going narrow as he searched the man's face.

     "A forest?" He asked, and the Sherriff nodded, turning to point to his left. Conrad squinted, looking at the distant splotch of green.

     "It's the Mark Twain National Forest," he said, shrugging. "We get a few families who pass through here to get there, but Salem is a more popular rou-"

     "There," Storm Shadow declared, his voice low as he gazed at the distant forest. "Jinx _will_ be heading there."

     "His ninja senses must be tingling," Lee whispered, and Hinton broke into a coughing fit as Conrad twitched his lips downwards to keep a smile off his face.

     "We are leaving," the white clad man told them, turning to march in the direction of their car. Conrad watched him go, looking back to the sheriff as the other man blinked at their companion.

     "He's always like that," he explained, giving a small shrug. "Thank you, Sheriff Brown," he continued, "we really do," he paused, cleared his throat, "appreciate your help." The Sherriff looked away, giving a hard sigh before he looked back at Conrad.

     "We had a gang problem, the Renegades helped us lock 'em up. It doesn't feel right, giving them up, but... I heard about Cobra Pharmaceuticals and Green Ridge. The good they did here doesn't outweigh that bad, but it'll be a while before I can look in the mirror." Conrad reached out, clasping the man on the shoulder as he looked him in the eye.

     "You did the right thing," he reassured him. Looking at the now distant figure of Storm Shadow, Conrad glanced at his team and nodded after the man. "Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a bad chapter, I'll openly admit that. But I want to get the next chapter, so I pretty much shoved this one out as quick as I could.


	13. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Storm Shadow had been searching for four long years, and he would at last reclaim what was his.

     "Sooo," the smaller man hesitantly started, shifting when Storm Shadow looked at him, "we, uh, we don't _actually_ know anything about your cousin."

     "He is our future clan head," the ninja replied, earning him an unsatisfied look from the sergeant.

     "We need more than that," the blond man insisted, leaning forward in his seat to rest his elbows on his knees. "What's your relationship with him? And Jinx's? Are we walking into some weird family feud, is that why she took him?"

     "In a way," he began, deciding to oblige them. Snake Eyes would not remain with them for long- he saw no reason to hide his past. "We first met when she was fourteen," he continued, " when I was escorting my cousin through the marketplace." He caught the rise of the blond soldier's eyebrow. "His father would never let him go alone," the man explained, "our Clan has many enemies, and one of them chose that day to strike. I was younger, then, still learning from the Hard Master, and did not sense their approach. There were four," he recounted, "dressed in black, bearing the symbol of Clan Hiage." He looked away, fists clenching at the memory as the others waited for him to continue. "They separated us, two of them boxing Snake Eyes in while I fought the others. The Hard Master had been reluctant to teach him our ways- though he could fight, the assassins were better. It was then that a stranger appeared- she shoved a stack of crates onto them, gave Snake Eyes the opportunity to best the first assassin. The second one..." Storm Shadow paused, taking a slow breath before he continued. "The second one moved fast, knocked him off balance. I managed to kill the assassins with me, went to help Snake Eyes. I... I was not fast enough."

     "What happened?" the dark skinned man asked, looking back at them from his front seat.

     "The Hiage assassin saw she was alone. She knew she would not escape, so she decided to wound our Clan. She slit Snake Eye's throat; cut his eyes, before I could kill her." All three paled at that. "The stranger helped me bind his wounds. We carried him back to the Clan; they saved him," Storm Shadow continued, the memory of the Hard Master's horror flashing briefly before him. "I was shamed for needing the aid of an outsider, for allowing the heir to be wounded in such a manner. They would have cast me out then, but Snake Eyes had been made weak by the attack, and they could not let a weak man lead the Clan. Snake Eye's father took in the stranger, trained her, welcomed her like a daughter into the house of Arashikage. For the act of bringing down bad luck on the assassins, he renamed her Jinx."

     "Jealous," he heard the smaller soldier mutter to the blond, and ignored him as he relived the memory. Seeing the girl rubbing at her arm, the mark of the Arashikage on her pale skin, knowing that _something_ had shifted.

     "We both wished to be top student, but while I honored the old ways, Jinx spoke of compassion, honor; of having mercy for the enemy. She tried to make us walk a moral path, and blinded by his gratitude, the Hard Master agreed."

     "You, uh, you're doing a pretty good job of making having morals sound like a bad thing," the Private muttered, shifting in discomfort he looked at him.

     "The other Clans would not have changed simply because we had," Storm Shadow snapped, "accepting her ways would have doomed us. I tried to argue this with the Hard Master," he paused, looked away, "but he would not hear me."

     "Something happened," the blond soldier said, sitting forward in his seat. "What changed?"

     "She slit the Hard Master's throat," he said, looking between the soldiers with narrowed eyes. He held a hand up, stalling their questions. "Perhaps she had grown impatient, or he had told her his intent to name me as his successor. I will never know," he said, "I do not intend to ask questions when we find her."

     "But..." the corporal cut in, turning slightly in his seat to speak back to them, "why'd she take your cousin?"

     "He could never take his father's place," Storm Shadow explained, "but Snake Eyes is still the Hard Master' son. Whichever one of us he decided to support would have seen our claim to leadership strengthened by it." He looked down, his hands curling into fists. "She took him to weaken my hold on the Clan, to threaten the legitimacy of it. I will-"

     "Oh, it looks like we're here, guys," the dark skinned man called back, bringing their van to halt as Hauser and Lee unbuckled. Storm Shadow exited the vehicle, watching as the three soldiers gathered at the foot of the forest. "So," Hinton muttered, looking up at the towering trees, "who wants to go first?" As one, the corporal and the private looked at the sergeant, who gave them a shrug and turned to Storm Shadow.

     "We'll follow your lead, Storm Shadow," the man said, and the ninja gave a nod as he started forward, the others following in his footsteps as they entered the forest.

 

 

      After several miles of silent walking, Storm Shadow finally laid eyes on Jinx's dojo. It was a small building, made of dark colors that easily blended with its surroundings. She had done well, he admitted to himself, how many hikers had unknowingly passed by it? Shaking his head, the ninja drew his sword as he quietly entered through the back. Odd, that it would appear to be empty. That Jinx would let him enter her dojo… A trap, then. Storm Shadow smiled, looking down the thin corridor as the soldiers followed in his footsteps. No matter what trickery the outsider pulled-

He stopped, feeling the air thicken as he looked to his left. Killing intent radiated from within the room, fixed on him as he sheathed his sword. Jinx had never had such a sharp presence, and he had no doubts that O'Hara would try to obey her master’s mercy within the walls of her master's dojo.

     "Snake Eyes," he called out. The murderous intent sputtered at the sound of his voice, and Storm Shadow opened the door just in time to see his cousin stumble back in disbelief, the younger man's sword wavering. "Snake Eyes, it is me, Storm Shadow," he told him, and the man shuddered as he took another step back. His sword, Storm Shadow noted, had _not_ dropped. He smiled.

     “Snake Eyes?” The Sergeant questioned, and Storm Shadow nodded. “I’m Sergeant Conrad Hauser,” he continued, his voice going soft, soothing. “My men and I, we’re here to rescue you.” Snake Eyes shook his head at that, firmly pointing his sword in Storm Shadow’s direction.

     “What lies has Jinx told you, that you would deny me?” The ninja asked, stepping closer.

     “I’ve only told him the truth, _murderer_!” The woman spat, and Storm Shadow sidestepped her attempt to back stab him as she lunged through the door, turning with the motion so he could fist his hand in her hair. She cried out as he jerked her head to the side, then stumbled and fell. The woman rolled with the motion, pushing off the ground to spring to her feet as she pulled her sword free. The soldiers reached for their weapons, but Jinx’s apprentice shot at them from the doorway, forcing the men to dodge.

     “Storm Shadow!” Conrad yelled over the sound of O’Hara’s gunfire, the blond looking to him as the two others began to return fire. The door splintered with their shots, cracking inward as the red haired woman was forced to retreat.

     “Go,” the ninja told them, “deal with your traitor.” The blond hesitated for only a moment before he nodded, turning to follow after his men as they ran from the room. Storm Shadow faced Jinx, his lips peeling back in a grin. _Finally_.


End file.
